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65CV · 08-24-2013, 07:56 AM

Norm,

Here's what I came up with for the lower vent cover:

I made a screen out of hardware cloth and a frame to hold it -- out of 1/8" aluminum. I then took a piece of leftover aluminum and bent it in a u-shape. It's long enough to be captured by the rivets for the frame and comes around to hold the front edge of a piece of galvanized sheet metal. I only have this on the front, since I want to prevent wind from getting underneath the galvanized and ripping it off.

Since I will definitely have to remove this in bad weather sometime, I don't want to do anything but pull it off. No wing nuts or anything that takes more than a second or two to remove.

I ordered some surplus magnets from K&J Magnetics - Products to hold the panel on. They haven't arrived, but I'll let you know how they work. The price for the 1/2" diameter magnets is SO cheap that I thought I'd post it before they sell out. If anyone reads this post later, try the main page, then surplus. I grabbed a dozen or so.

The picture attached shows a mockup of the screen. The blue shop towel shows how the galvanized sheet metal will slide inside the front holder. I'll bolt a few magnets to the screen with oversized washers.

65CV · 08-24-2013, 08:05 AM

Things move a little faster with new plywood!

I made the insides of the Food Closet and mocked up locations for the Olympian Heater and Fridge Vent. I bought this vent on eBay a while ago and just discovered that it is too short. We painted it with Zolatone last December. The bottom will have to be extended with Fiberglass and probably just wrapped in decorative mahogany trim.

The Olympian wave will be on a hinge, with a flexible gas hose -- just like we did in the Caravel.

65CV · 08-24-2013, 08:07 AM

Grrr.

Once you post an image and realize it is upside down, is there any way to edit it?

(No worldofchaos, I'm not copying you!)

mistral blue · 08-24-2013, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 65CV

Grrr.

Once you post an image and realize it is upside down, is there any way to edit it?

(No worldofchaos, I'm not copying you!)

For some reason when you double click on the photo it turns it right side up!

HiHoAgRV · 08-24-2013, 11:44 AM

I got it flipped over....I think.

65CV · 08-24-2013, 07:43 PM

Looks right now, thanks Vernon.

65CV · 09-03-2013, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 65CV

Norm,

Here's what I came up with for the lower vent cover:

[ from post 401]
...

The picture attached shows a mockup of the screen. The blue shop towel shows how the galvanized sheet metal will slide inside the front holder. I'll bolt a few magnets to the screen with oversized washers.

The idea doesn't work well. The sheet metal is too thin to give a strong attraction to the magnets -- even much larger ones that I tried. Interesting that the same magnets have a tremendous amount of grab on a thick hinge.

I definitely learned something about magnetism.

65CV · 09-03-2013, 01:31 PM

Busy weekend -- getting ready for our first camping trip of the summer.

Fridge makes ice on propane! All propane lines are permanently installed. Fridge cabinet is solid. We'll have a heater running for those cold September nights in Vermont.

Food closet shelves are in and sealed. Just need to get a coat of finish on the doors and get them on.

Water tank is in, hopefully will finish the last PEX connections today. Galley is back in place with venting reinstalled.

I'd like to make the table top for the trip. Has anyone used the table support from VTS? Someone named dwinick reviewed it and called it flimsy. Others said it was good. (Yes, I know who dwinick is.)

Still have a pretty good punch list, but it will be great to be on the road again, even if it's only for a week on the river.

HiHoAgRV · 09-04-2013, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 65CV

Busy weekend -- Has anyone used the table support from VTS? Someone named dwinick reviewed it and called it flimsy...

I used the same style, not from VTS and it's not super steady. I'm looking at those that have the post that extends.

Have fun on the camping trip, it's about to become camping weather down here.

65CV · 09-05-2013, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

I used the same style, not from VTS and it's not super steady. I'm looking at those that have the post that extends.

Have fun on the camping trip, it's about to become camping weather down here.

Vernon,

That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I hope to run by West Marine tomorrow if this post is in stock. It has good reviews and I like the idea that it is solid, aluminum and threaded.

About to become camping weather?? They're predicting frost in northern New England this weekend.

65CV · 09-05-2013, 07:18 PM

In our Caravel, we used a high quality marine DC panel from Blue Sea Systems. It's just too modern for the Overlander.

We really liked the look of the small toggle switch that controls the porch light. I found the same ball end toggle switches for a great price on eBay -- $26 for 8 of them.

I just mounted them on a 1/8" aluminum plate. The plate will go on the end of the Overhead Cabinet.

Much less expensive and IMHO, a much better vintage match.

BTW, we're doing circuit protection with the Intellipower 4045

65CV · 09-08-2013, 07:15 PM

Recovering enough veneer to cover the entire food closet was a bit of a challenge, but it looks great. The two doors look terrific with 3 coats of Watco Danish Oil on them. We protected the warranty with a piece of lexan (the cause of the shine across it).

We have the original octagonal latch -- do these really hold the doors closed while moving? We did push the two springs together on the receiver.

If they don't hold, what is the best way to keep the doors closed? We're thinking about a couple of small slide bolts, one above and one below the outer door.

reinergirl · 09-08-2013, 07:28 PM

I'm not sure the octagon knobs will work, maybe you should send it along to me

lol. Just kidding

Slide bolts would work, I'm assuming you would hide them somehow?

I like these

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...FY5xOgodvAYAPg

Big orange box also has door latches like the one above that you push to open, I have them in a few places in my house.

By the way the cabinet looks great!

Frank's Trailer Works · 09-08-2013, 07:38 PM

the originals work perfectly...

65CV · 09-08-2013, 07:50 PM

Thanks for the link, Shelly. They look interesting.

I promised Mary that we wouldn't risk the door opening again on a trip. The food closet door opened once on the last trailer and we had milk in one of those non-refrigerated containers on the shelf. No, milk does not pass the drop and roll test and yes, it is a bear to clean up after it gets under every cabinet in the trailer.

reinergirl · 09-08-2013, 08:43 PM

I'm so totally with Mary on this one, my son dropped an entire gallon of milk once ...shattered, milk in the cracks of the wood floor and splatter patterned on the ceiling, neither a good look or smell (weeks later). Have you considered padlocks? LOL.....

no not really.

Personally, I'd back the original octagon knob up with some type of backup lock, my sis has a few that are worn and don't quite work as well as they should..... won't hurt and will make Mary happy!

65CV · 09-09-2013, 03:51 PM

I was hoping to post a picture of the Overlander with new baby moons today. VTS sent 4 and I tried my best to put them on. No luck.

Called VTS and they confirmed a size problem with the current batch. Save yourself some time and don't order until the problem is corrected. This set is going back.

It felt very strange yesterday to remove all the tools. Camping gear is going in this evening. Starting the refrigerator Wednesday. This will be our first trip with all systems permanently installed (except for a plug or two).

Remaining work is the galley extension and the dinette. Seems like nothing. (I can hear it now -- if it's nothing, why isn't it done already??)

reinergirl · 09-09-2013, 08:01 PM

Well you did put your trailer back together in like 2 weeks after Colin was done with it...... That means a galley extension and dinette should be no more than 20 minutes a piece, right? Lol

Did you order the cone baby moons ( ie like madonnas bra

) or the true moon ones?

65CV · 09-11-2013, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reinergirl

Well you did put your trailer back together in like 2 weeks after Colin was done with it...... That means a galley extension and dinette should be no more than 20 minutes a piece, right? Lol

Did you order the cone baby moons ( ie like madonnas bra

) or the true moon ones?

How did you know I was a closet Madonna fan???

They were the true moon ones.

I wasn't working when I put the trailer back together after Colin's. I'm on a consulting job now, so this is all-off hours stuff. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Can't wait for a week in the woods. This working stuff is awful!

65CV · 09-13-2013, 10:30 AM

I picked up the Todd Posi-Lock Table Post and am very happy with it. It's rock solid. One caution -- you have to drill a 2 3/4" hole in the floor and have room for about an inch of space below. You'll also have to notch the floor in 4 spots to make room for the anti-twist ribs in the flange. I used the 29" model and didn't have to cut it to size.

In the pic below, you can see the round flange that attaches to the table base on the right. The black plastic is a friction fit -- intended to prevent corrosion in salt water. The flange on the left is the base that recesses into the floor. The very center is a 1" threaded aluminum stud. The table twists on to this until it is very well supported. 99 bucks.

I ended up going with the standard vent cover on the fridge, btw. Gotta finish up some things. Fridge is cold -- time to fill it.